Home is Behind
by The Jedi Wizard
Summary: After the War, Harry take up the task of tracking down all the death eaters, now 5 years later, England is a very different place than he left.
1. Chapter 1

_"Home is behind, the world ahead_

_And there are many paths to tread_

_Through shadow, to the edge of night_

_Until the stars are all alight_

_Mist and shadow_

_Cloud and shade_

_All shall fade_

_All shall fade"_

_A Walking Song- J.R.R. Tolkien_

"_There's the silver lining I've been looking for," she whispered, and then she was kissing him like she had never before, and Harry was kissing her back, and it was blissful oblivion; better than firewhisky, she was the only real thing in the world, Ginny, the feel of her, one hand at her back and one in her long, sweet smelling hair. (From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pg 116)_

9 Months Later

"Harry, we would love for you to become an Auror," Kingsley told him.

"I would love to Minister." Harry said, not seeing the flash of red behind him.

"Harry, its Kingsley, please. I would much rather be going with you instead of dealing with these bureaucrats." Kingsley told him, grinning widely.

"Where will I be going?" Harry asked, curious.

"France, where you are going to be trained, then on to Bulgaria. Many death eaters fled there in hope that they could seek refuge, but Bulgaria has allowed us to send a team to track them down and send them back to be tried."

"Of course Min- Kingsley, thank you for this." Harry said, appreciative of the older man.

"Harry as much as it pains me, many of the order are gone, and those bonds run deep, I hope that we can have such a bond. I'll try and help you as much as I can, and you take down the Death Eaters." Kingsley said with a sad sigh.

"Of course Kingsley, I'll do my best." Harry replied.

"Right then Harry, your portkey, leaves tomorrow at 6 am sharp. Try not to miss it." Kingsley said with a smile.

"Thank you Kingsley, and what about Ron? Can he join as well?" Harry asked hopefully.

"He will be able to, should he accept my offer, as well as Miss Granger." Kingsley said, " And what of Miss Weasley Harry?"

"What about her?" Harry asked, "She still has another year of school, she will understand." As Harry thought, I hope she does.

"Harry, as much as I hate to say it, having her will only make it harder on both of you."

"But King-"

"Harry," Kingsley interrupted, "I know how you feel about her, but what if Death Eaters intercept an owl from you to her, and they go after her because of you? Simply because you want to bring them to justice."

Harry took a deep breath, and looking down said, "You're right, I'll figure it out, Kingsley."

"Then I will see you tomorrow morning at 6:01 Harry." Kingsley said, departing.

As much as he could, Harry could not find Ginny in the large castle that night. And laying in his four poster bed, sleep would not come to him. Restlessly he tossed and turned, but to no avail, sleep evaded him.

Looking at his watch, he saw 4:45, and with a sigh, hauled himself out of bed, jealous of Ron's 10:00 am portkey.

Showering, he wondered what could have possibly happened with Ginny to make her disappear like that, for a second, he wondered if she could have heard his and Kingsley's conversation. Pushing that thought away, he finished getting ready, and grabbing his wand and trunk, he walked down into the common room, the object of his thoughts sitting in front of a dying fire, her back to him.

"Ginny," Harry said, "I was looking for you."

"To tell me that you were leaving again." Ginny said, it wasn't question it was a statement.

Harry walked around the couch and sat down next to her. "Ginny I-"

"Harry stop." Ginny cut in. "I still have another year of school, and I would just be a target everyone knows we are together."

"Ginny you don't know how much it means to me that you understand, that you mean to me…" Harry trailed off. "I care for you Ginny, and I always will, never forget that."

Glancing at his watch, Harry's eyes bulged, standing up and grabbing his portkey, he got out, "Goodbye Gin-" before he was whisked away. Only then did Ginny allow the tears to fall.


	2. Chapter 2

"_Lay down  
>Your sweet and weary head<br>Night is falling  
>You've come to journey's end<br>Sleep now  
>And dream of the ones who came before<br>They are calling  
>From across the distant shore…<em>

_What can you see  
>On the horizon?<br>Why do the white gulls call?  
>Across the sea<br>A pale moon rises  
>The ships have come to carry you home"<em>

_Into the West- Annie Lennox _

5 Years later

Harry hadn't been in England a few days shy of five years. And five long years it had been, after Bulgaria, it had been Russia, He had chased the last death eaters all over Europe, and had finally gotten Theodore Nott in the city it had all began, Paris. Now he was sitting around, waiting for someone to tell him what he was to do next.

Kingsley walked into the conference room that Harry occupied, "Its been a while Harry." Kingsley smiled as Harry stood and embraced the older man.

"Too long King." Harry agreed, smiling himself.

"When was it? The Italian Ministry?" Kingsley asked him.

"No I think it was Pamplona. Fiestas de San Fermín, remember?" Harry corrected him.

"Ah I recall now, the rampaging bull. Why muggles do that for fun is beyond me." Kingsley laughed.

"Indeed," Harry smiled.

"Harry, I have a favor to ask." Kingsley said, the smile leaving his face. "I want you to speak at the 5 year anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts."

"No." Harry said flatly.

"Harry its been a long time, things have changed." Kingsley told him.

"Is she still with him?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Kingsley sighed.

"Then nothing has changed." Harry said, standing and buttoning his jacket. "And I'm not going back." Harry said, leaving the room.

"Harry!" Tristan Gagnon called. "Come, you simply must meet my cousin, she is in my office now."

"Alright Tristan." Harry said with a small sigh, he liked Tristan, but he was no Ron Weasley that was for sure.

"She is part Veela, so be warned." He joked, but Harry only though of Ron gaping at Fleur back in fourth year.

Tristan opened the door and Harry's jaw dropped almost as much as Ron's had the first time they had seen her.

"Ello, Harry." Fleur Delacour greeted him.

"You two know each other?" Tristan demanded.

"You could say that, she married my best friends brother." Harry said with another sigh.

"Zat is all ze, introduction I get now? You hurt me 'Arry." Fleur said with another smile, clearly sensing Harry's discomfort.

"Yeah well the last time I saw you tried to hex me, so forgive me for not being warm and fuzzy." Harry said in a clipped tone.

"Eh, water under the bridge as the say, no?" Fleur replied.

"How did I not know that you two knew each other?" Tristan asked, still confused.

"Well you were in Auror training when the Triwizard Tournament was going on, and you never got to meet Ron, he went back to help his brother before you guys met." Harry tried to explain.

"Ron? The one you always talk about? He is a Weasley?" Tristan asked.

"But I did meet him, I think." Tristan said. "Fleur's wedding, he disappeared with the bushy haired girl-"

"Hermione," Fleur interjected.

"Yes that's the one, and some other red head, Ron's cousin or something." Tristan said, trying to remember.

"That was me." Harry said, with a small smile. "Polyjuice."

"So that's why the Patronus showed up?" Tristan questioned.

"Partially, did you ever hear of the Order of the Phoenix?" Harry asked him back.

"Yeah, some group that was fighting Voldemort outside the Ministry." Tristan replied confused.

"Well, most of the guests had some affiliation to it on the Weasley side." Fleur said, trying to stay in the conversation.

"Wait a second…" Tristan said, trying to put together words. "You and Ron went to Scotland a year after you started, you came back alone, and throw yourself into work, and I get assigned to be your partner, and you refuse to go back home for some reason."

"You refuse to come home 'Arry?" Fleur asked him, "Why?"

"You know why Fleur." Harry said, looking down.

"I will hex you if you don't give me a better reason than that 'Arry Potter." Fleur said with an edge in her voice.

"Will someone explain what is going on?" Tristan asked confused.

"Do you remember Ron's sister?" Harry questioned, still looking down.

"Sure, cute girl." Tristan said.

"She is why I wont go back." Harry said softly.

"You snog some other girl or something?" Tristan joked.

"No, I didn't." Harry said shortly.

"She did? Then what's the problem mate?" Tristan asked confused again.

"I love her. But she did something unforgivable." Harry said, and then turned and walked out the room.


End file.
